16 November 2017

2017 Review Round Up Part 10

Welcome
to a round up review! Similar to the Round-Up posts I put up earlier in
the year, I’m going to be posting some bullet point reviews, sort of akin to
the one's that you get in magazines, short and to the point. I complete
my first one of these reviews around last Christmas, mainly due to the volume
of albums that were still left to review at that time of year, the lack of time
to review them all and this is happening for similar reasons. Basically, there
is only so much time available to a one-man team, I cannot complete the full
detailed blog that I usually post on here, as I need to work to feed myself,
look after my lady and generally keep a roof over my head. So, the list
of albums that I want to review, promised to review, need to review has grown
beyond my control. At any given moment, it tends to hit north of 100 with
ease and going forward, I will need to get that down with these sorts of blogs.
Now, I will be breaking these round ups down into batches of ten, they will be
minus the normal link to purchase of stream the albums (due to space) but you
will be able to find these online very easily (legal links, remember - this is
not that type of blog). I will be using the same introduction to each of
these blog, if only to save more time. Thanks for reading - Eddie.

METZ – Strange Peace

Strange Peace sadly lacks the fire of other noise acts such as Whores and
Pissed Jeans, but this is not to say it is an awful album. It’s good for
what it is, and when Metz are on point, they sound unstoppable. But when
they are not playing to their strength, Metz sadly loses a step or two and the
album is top heavy with numbers which I keep skipping upon repeated
listens. Hopefully they will prove me wrong, I really want them to do so,
as they have some great songs on this album. If you listen to “Drained
Lake” and “Mess of Wires” and not want to jump around, then I think your dead
inside. I wanted to love everything on Strange Peace, but sadly only a decent album and not a great record.

6 out of ten – Now I see where you were going, but it's not quite there.

Top track – Drained Lake

Akercocke – Renaissance in Extremis

Renaissance in Extremis is
Akercocke’s first album in ten years since The
Antichrist, which is a long time for any band, especially for a Black/Death
metal act who have always been flirting with progressive metal.Renaissance
inExtremis is a solid return,
anything which has the name Akercocke is always something I will want to
hear.It needs a tad more speed in
places for my own tastes of the genre, but it still sounds harsh as hell, good
to have the boys back.

7 out of ten – This is good and worth checking out

Top track – Familiar Ghosts

King Capisce – Memento Mori

I have listened to a lot of progressive rock, metal and jazz in 2017, more than
I would usually listen to, but I have to admit that Memento Mori by King
Capisce is a late contender for best Prog album of 2017.With its feet firmly in both the jazz and
progressive field, combining the lunatic fringes of both and making a riches
tapestry of noise and sound.They are
breathing takingly beautiful, but it's incredibly aggressive as well, so tread
carefully dead reader.

8 out of ten – Oh, now you have my attention and maybe my time, money and heart

Top track – Once We Were Wild

Mr. Big – Defying Gravity

Defying Gravity is a classic rock album designed to get Mr. Big out on the
road, without trying to hurt their legacy at the same time.Whilst I could never criticise Mr. Big as
artists, I can honestly say that they have released better records.It just seems to be a little lacking when
there was once excitement, classic rock is not exactly rocket science.So, whilst it isn’t their best record by a
long shot, but it is listenable and will be received well by their fanbase.It's sadly just an average rock album,
instead of a good one.

5 out of ten – Not for everyone, but played well

Top track – Mean to Me

OTHERKIN – OK

Otherkin are an indie-punk band from Dublin, Ireland, who I
recently saw on tour with InHeaven.OK contains lighter versions of the
songs I saw performed by OTHERKIN that night, as they had more of a kick in the
live environment.On record, they come
across as the snot-nosed younger brother of the Strokes with a singer who gives
a shit, with a bit of fire in their belly and this is a really good album.It might not sparkle in some way, but that is not always what you want. Sometimes, you just want an album that sounds like the band is having fun. This is one of those records, there is more than enough on here to warrant further
listens.

7 out of ten – This is good and worth checking out.

Top track – Razorhead

William Patrick Corgan – Ogilala

The fact that the lead singer of The Smashing Pumpkins has released an acoustic
album is not a surprise to anyone, the fact he is using his full name makes a lot of sense, working with Rick Rubin’s is not that big of a leap of the
imagination either to be honest.If you have heard
any of the gentler sounds of SP, then you will know what to expect here, it is heartfelt,
emotionally vulnerable and beautiful. It sometimes goes on a bit too long, but it's also on point at time.The biggest surprise thought is not from Mr Corgan, no it is the fact that thankfully,
Rick Rubin has not destroyed this album unlike his last few production jobs. He has lets the songs flow naturally, giving them a warmth and a fragile feeling, this is one of his best production job in years.It is a good album, however whilst it's not
one I would return to that often, it's also not one I would shun either.

7.5 out of ten – This is good and worth checking out.

Top track – The Spaniards

We Came as Romans – Cold Like War

Cold Like War is a modern piece of
Hardcore, one which mixes clean vocals and screamo vocals, dynamic guitars,
weird electronica and it sort of ends up feeling like a louder version of old
school Linkin Park.If you’re into the genre,
you will love it; if not, it’ll leave you colder than a night in the coffin. Sorry to We Came as Romans, there is not for me (but it is not the worst thing I have heard).

2 out of ten – If only there was some quality control

Top track – Two Hands

Liam Gallagher – As You Were

Pointless, absolutely pointless, this is as dull as anything he released with
Beady Eye and the latter days of Oasis.There, I have done my review, can people please stop asking for this.

0 out of ten – This is proof there is not a God

Top track – none of them.

Roger Waters – Is This the Life We Really Want?

Is This the Life We Really Want? is
the first solo outing from Roger Waters in twenty-five years, it finds him in a
foul mood to be honest, which is when Roger Waters tends to be at his most
interesting.It’s message of
“anti-everything” is one that speaks in the purest form of protest that the man
can achieve. This is my favourite Waters’
outing since The Final Cut (I know that is technically a Pink Floyd outing, but
it's essentially is a Waters solo album), there is something fascinating about
protest Waters, this album is a reminder that the anger in this man is far from fading.

7 out of ten – This is good and worth checking out

Top track – The Last Refugee

Marilyn Manson – Heaven Upside Down

Heaven Upside Down is a cynical
record for me, you do not know what is truth and what is fiction, there is no
dividing line with Marilyn Manson these days and that makes it an album that I
admire, but I do not love. He is trying so hard to be the shock artist of
old, but that is not cutting it in 2017 the same way that it did in the 90’s. Times have
changed and so has the world, it will take a lot more than slagging off the
bible and politicians to make me (and humanity as a whole) quake with fear. However, it does have some good tunes, something
that has always been the case with Marilyn Manson. Heaven Upside Down is
not a mediocre record, but it feels like an attempt to reclaim past
glories. It ultimately trying too hard
to replicate an anger which is not the same from an older man and ultimately,
it still feels contrived. Manson has clearly done everything in his life,
who knew that his mid-life crisis would sound rather tame in comparison to
other works.

6.5 out of ten – Now I see where you were going, but it's not quite there

Welcome to the final round-up review of 2017! Similar to the Round-Up posts I put up earlier in the year, I’m going to be posting some bull...

Translate

Notice to all....

There is nothing to download here - We share no links to free downloads, only to either Spotify, Amazon or the artist themselves. Support the artists and purchase the music, or at least listen to the Spotify link - they do get something from there, even if it is criminally low. All views given on this blog are only the opinions of the person who has written the blog and they are to be took with a pinch of salt. If you disagree, that is your choice, just as it is the reviewer's when they post their thoughts and views. Also, any photos used are from sources such as Wikipedia or Amazon - we aim to get free images where ever possible. All copyright belongs to the person who painted the image, the photographer, the graphic designer, the artist/bands in question obviously and as stated above there is no illegal downloads linked to this page.

If you have any requests for what you would like to see reviewed, let us know in a comment. You can also contact us at iisfoley1@gmail.com. Please note, if we have not replied within 3 weeks, we will not be reviewing the submission.

Album scoring system

0 - This is proof there is no deity1 - You're really are touching the bottom of the barrel with this one2 - If only there was some quality control3 - It could have been a bit better4 - Well it's alright, but still......5 -Not for everyone but played well6 - Now I see where you were going, but it's not quite there7 - This is good and well worth a check8 - Oh, now you have my attention and maybe my money, time and heart9 - Almost perfect....Almost10 - This is proof there is a deity(For albums that are too crazy to be marked)Crazy Cat symbol - This album cannot be marked, so here is a box of kittens

Singles/EP Marking System

0 - Only to be listened to by people bless with the gift of being deaf1 - Not so much on the bad that it is bottom of the barrel, but it can see the stuff down there2 - Not bad, not good - so average it is Zen3 - Decent, getting there4 - This is really good, well worth checking out5 - I wish I had extra ears to love this more(For Singles/EPs that are too crazy to mark)Crazy Cat symbol - This release cannot be marked, so here is a box of kittens